Melbourne lockdown: Venue owners devastated by more Covid chaos
Struggling venue owners are set to take another major hit as birthday parties, weddings, funerals and school formals are put on hold due to another Melbourne lockdown.
East
Don't miss out on the headlines from East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
Devastated wedding and party venue operators will loose hundreds of thousands of dollars as they again have their livelihoods up-ended by another Melbourne lockdown.
Templestowe’s Sanaz Nasre has been left thousands of dollars out of pocket after having to cancel daughter Shyla’s 1st birthday party at the Brighton Savoy for a second time.
Ms Nasre said some of her 60 guests still hadn’t been able to meet her daughter due to the coronavirus outbreak.
“My daughter was born during Covid, everything had to be cancelled and I was really hoping I could get everyone together to see my daughter and have something done for her,” Ms Nasre said.
“I’m going to have to do lots of reorganising … and I don’t know what date to pick because I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Brighton Savoy owner Michael Lee said the lockdown would cost the venue roughly $200,000 in cancelled events and accommodation.
Mr Lee said he and other venues owners desperately needed more financial support and have land tax and other costs waived with the latest lockdown blow.
“How does the state government expect us to pay our bills when in the last 18 months, we’ve been closed for 10 of them, and operated under heavy restrictions for the balance of that period?” he said.
“The hospitality, tourism and events industries are subsidising the health of the whole country … and no one is appreciating that or respecting it.”
Mary-Anne Lowe, owner of Warrandyte’s Bramleigh Estate, said she rushed to reschedule a funeral for 300 guests on Thursday night, which was originally set for Friday.
But the five-day lockdown has forced her to cancel events including private school Tintern Grammar’s formal and two weddings.
Ms Lowe said her brides were “beside themselves” and it was the fourth time one of the couples had to reschedule their plans.
“It’s a never ending cycle and a complicated cycle for everyone as well,” she said.
“It’s terrible and we got no notice for it … clearly some industries were told hours or half a day ahead of hospitality, and hospitality is the one that is impacted the most.
“I get that this is health issue, but the issue I have is the government making small business take the bullet time and time again.”
Ms Lowe said the lockdown would cost her venue $100,000 with thousands of dollars wasted on food, flowers and decorations.
Stalking crisis: Victim opens up on ‘physical toll’ years later
A Melbourne woman has opened up on the physical and mental toll several years of “relentless stalking” and why she started a nationwide advocacy group.
’Concerning’ rate of oral health issues for Vic kids
A “concerning” rate of Victorian kids have signs of poor oral health, with those in regional and rural areas among them worst. See where kids are most at risk.